Fantasy hockey rankings: Championship week top picks

The NHL standings are looking very positive for fantasy fans. The odds of a team advancing to the finals without some sort of home-ice advantage during the postseason are slim to none. Even if the Colorado AvalancheWanting to make sure that they have the advantage in any Stanley Cup final they face Florida PanthersThis is a close race, and a plausible enough scenario that the Avs will not want to let their foot off of the pedal unless there is some separation in the next week.

If the Toronto Maple LeafsTake your eyes off of the Tampa Bay LightningIf they can play a little longer in the remaining games, they may be able to rest at the end. The Calgary FlamesThey might be in a situation soon where their seeding will not change but they might still need to push for points if they want to reach the Western Conference final.

However, there are reasons that almost every playoff-bound team should try to score every point between now (April 29) and the May 1 game between the Seattle KrakenAnd Winnipeg Jets(“Playoff-bound”) excludes it.

Some fantasy teams could benefit from a couple of injuries.

Frederik Andersen, G, Carolina Hurricanes: You may need to end your fantasy season without Andersen if you're out of luck for at least three Canes remaining games. There is a good chance. Antti RaantaYou either have him available or he is already on your roster. He's been passable under Andersen and is well-positioned to make at least three solid starts against The Jets, Devils, and Islanders.

David Pastrnak, W, Boston Bruins: Pastrnak was ruled out by a still-lingering injury throughout the week. However, Pastrnak still has five possible games to play if he returns on Saturday. This is what Pastrnak was told by the Bruins Monday. But we will have to wait and watch. If you're at the point where micromanaging is necessary to get points, Curtis LazarPastrnak's replacement is likely to be Pastrnak. Pastrnak also has a decent fantasy rate to consider deeper leagues. His 5.77 fantasy points per sixty minutes rank among the top 200 forwards of this season.

Nazem Kadri, C, Colorado Avalanche: It is possible that Kadri will be back this week, possibly as early as Wednesday. He did not practice Monday. His injury occurred during a critical week for fantasy. Some managers had to make the hard decision to drop him to ensure his survival. Check your league because he is now only at about 20%.

Patrik LaineAnd Zach Werenski, W/D, Columbus Blue Jackets: For the rest of the campaign, I am a little concerned about Werenski and Laine. Now that the Jackets are in a near-zero playoff position, there is no incentive for them to return to action. Either way, they are both trending below 1.5 fantasy points per games during the past three week, which adds insult to injury to insufficient production, and the Jackets star can be easily faded.

Dylan Larkin, C, Detroit Red Wings: After undergoing surgery, the Wings will need to create a new top line in order to finish the season. If the Wings opt to use Pius SuterBetween Lucas RaymondAnd Tyler BertuzziYes, I'm interested. This line scored three goals in 26 minutes, at five on five earlier this season.

Bo HorvatAnd Brock Boeser, C/W, Vancouver Canucks: Horvat, who has a lower body injury, is also out for the season. However, the Canucks brought Boeser back just in the right time to fill the gap. Boeser made his debut in a line with Elias PetterssonAnd Jason DickinsonPlus, you have earned power-play points with Pettersson. J.T. MillerAnd Vasily Podkolzin. The Canucks are making a strong push for the finish. Boeser, Podkolzin and both should be on your radar.

Mark Scheifele, C, Winnipeg Jets: Scheifele might not be able to return to the ice as soon as he is absent from the next two games, just like Wereknski or Laine for the Blue Jackets. Only one win is required from the Stars, Predators and Jets to eliminate them.

Forwards

Matty Beniers, C, Seattle Kraken (Up 149 spots to No. 26): Beniers, who is making his Kraken debut in the late-season, will not be given a light treatment. His fantasy points per sixty minutes are elite through three games. This is on par for the likes Steven Stamkos, Brad MarchandAnd Joe Pavelski. He can be relied upon for the remainder of your fantasy season, clocking in at more than 19 mins per game.

Sean Kuraly, C, Columbus Blue Jackets (enters ranks No. 162: Looking for some late-season grit and fantasy points? Kuraly's past five games have seen him score 18 hits and 5 points, with a COVID protocol cut in the middle. Laine could miss some games as a result, which would allow for more ice time for the bottom six lines.

Nick Paul, W, Tampa Bay Lightning (Enters ranks at No. 192: Taking a position with Nikita KucherovAnd Brayden PointPaul has been collecting points at the conclusion of the campaign. Even though they only played a few games together in the first 23 minutes of action, they have scored three goals together.

On the move: Defensemen

Gustav Forsling, D, Florida Panthers (Up 89 spots to No. 72): Morgan Reilly is the only one. John Carlson, Justin Faulk, Cale MakarAnd Jared SpurgeonThe Panthers have had more fantasy points at the blue line over the past three weeks. Forsling is the Panthers' go-to option to drive offense from their blue line. Aaron Ekblad absent.

Torey Krug, D, St. Louis Blues (Up 123 spots to No. 70): Since Faulk is recovering from injury, the Blues have been a strong offensive force. Krug has taken over, however, as he has risen 123 spots to No. Krug averaged 3.2 fantasy points per match through four games after his injury. Only Carlson has performed better over the last three weeks.

Goaltenders on the move

Mike Smith, G, Edmonton Oilers (up 154 places to No. 50): It's a Mike Smith move to arrive at the end and put together a series of productive, healthy outings. We don't discriminate in fantasy, so his previous mistakes this season can be forgiven as long as he keeps this up. The Oilers have a relatively easy schedule, with only one set of back-to-back sets to close the season and one matchup against the Avalanche. Smith may be able carry some fantasy managers head-to-head to a championship, particularly those who had relied on Frederik Andersen's injury. Tristan Jarry to date.

Rankings updated

Brock Boeser Adam Larsson, Quinn Hughes, Nazem Kadri, Antti Raanta, Vince Dunn, Troy Terry, Sean Kuraly, Alex Chiasson, Paul Stastny, T.J. Oshie, Travis Hamonic, Andrew PeekeNick Paul Neal Pionk, Yanni Gourde, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Haydn Fleury, Kevin Shattenkirk, Conor Garland, Erik Cernak, Alexander Wennberg, William Borgen, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Craig Smith, Cam Fowler, Brandon Montour, Carter Verhaeghe, Alex Goligoski, Alexander Edler, Garnet Hathaway, Justin Schultz, Gustav Nyquist, Brandon Saad.

Dropped out

Rickard Rakell, Miro Heiskanen, Travis Konecny, Tony DeAngelo, Ryan Suter, Jani Hakanpaa, Josh Anderson, Erik Karlsson (lingering injury), Artem Zub, Zach Whitecloud, Rasmus Dahlin, Connor HellebuyckBo Horvat (done to season), Michael Stone, Jaycob MegnaDylan Larkin (done seasonally), (lingering injury). Marcus Foligno (COVID protocol), Linus Ullmark (lingering injury), Ryan Graves, Erik JohnsonFrederik Andersen (out for a week), Mathieu Joseph, Cam York, Teuvo Teravainen, Alexander Barabanov, Chandler Stephenson, Vincent Trocheck, Jaccob Slavin, Jeff Skinner, Alex Tuch, Danny DeKeyser, Evgenii Dadonov, Jack CampbellHe looks like he's being preserved for the playoffs James Reimer, Owen Power, Robin Lehner.

Top-250 Rankings

1. Auston Matthews?, F, TOR (F1)
2. Jonathan Huberdeau, F FLA (F2)
3. Aleksander Barkov?, F, FLA (F3)
4. Nathan MacKinnonF, F, COL, (F4)
5. Darcy KuemperG, G, COL, (G1)
6. Mitch Marner, F, TOR (F5)
7. Ilya SorokinG, NYI, G2
8. Timo Meier, F, SJ, (F6)
9. Kirill Kaprizov, F. MIN. (F7)
10. Connor McDavid, F, EDM, (F8)
11. Igor ShesterkinG, G, NYR, (G3)
12. Leon Draisaitl, F, EDM, (F9)
13. Cale Makar, D., COL (D1)
14. Nikita Kucherov, F. TB (F10)
15. Victor Hedman, D., TB (D2)
16. Alex OvechkinF11, F, FSH (F11).
17. John Carlson, D. WSH (D3)
18. Roman Josi, D. NSH (D4)
19. Juuse SarosG, G-NSH (G4)
20. J.T. Miller, F, VAN, (F12).
21. Elias Pettersson, F, VAN, (F13).
22. Sam Reinhart, F. FLA (F14).
23. Vladimir Tarasenko, F, STL, (F15).
24. Steven StamkosF16, F, TB
25. Thatcher DemkoG, VAN, (G5)
26. Matthew Beniers, F, SEA (F17)
27. Filip Forsberg, F. NSH (F18).
28. Mikko Rantanen, F. COL (F19).
29. Matthew Tkachuk, F, C, CGY (F20).
30. Charlie McAvoy, D, BOS (D5)
31. Johnny GaudreauF21, F, CGY
32. Chris KreiderF22, F22
33. Patrice Bergeron, F, BOS (F23)
34. Brent Burns, D. SJ (D6)
35. Kevin Fiala, F. MIN (F24).
36. Nikolaj Ehlers, F. WPG (F25).
37. Jacob MarkstromG, G, CGY, (G6)
38. Brad Marchand, F, BOS (F26)
39. Patrick KaneF, F, CHI (F27).
40. Josh Norris, F. OTT (F28).
41. Sebastian Aho, F, CAR, (F29)
42. Ryan Pulock, D, NYI, D7
43. MacKenzie Weegar, D. FLA (D8)
44. Kyle Connor, F, WPG, (F30).
45. William NylanderF31, F31
46. Noah Dobson, D, NYI, D9
47. Jared Spurgeon, D, MIN, (D10)
48. Brady Tkachuk, F. OTT (F32).
49. Matt Duchene, F. NSH (F33).
50. Mike Smith, G, EDM, (G7)
51. Tim Stutzle, F, OOTT (F34).
52. Elias Lindholm, F CGY (F35).
53. Tomas Hertl, F. SJ (F36).
54. John TavaresF, F, TOR (F37).
55. Brock NelsonF38, F, NYI
56. Robert Thomas, F, STL, (F39).
57. Brayden PointF40
58. David Pastrnak, F, BOS (F41)
59. Artemi PanarinF, NYR (F42).
60. Moritz Seider, D, DET (D11)
61. Brock Boeser, F VAN (F43).
62. Brayden Schenn, F, STL, (F44).
63. Sidney Crosby, F, F45, PIT
64. Alex DeBrincat, F, F46
65. Ryan Hartman, F, MINT (F47).
66. Justin Faulk, D, STL, (D12).
67. Morgan Rielly, D. TOR (D13).
68. Seth Jones, D., CHI (D14).
69. Roope Hintz, F. DAL (F48).
70. Torey Krug, D, STL, (D15).
71. Pavel Buchnevich, F. STL (F49).
72. Gustav Forsling, D, FLA, D16
73. Matthew Boldy F, MIN, (F50).
74. Darnell Nurse, D (D17),
75. Ville HussoG, G. STL (G8)
76. Radko Gudas, D. FLA (D18).
77. David Perron, F. STL (F51).
78. Joe Pavelski, F. DAL (F52).
79. Mats ZuccarelloF, F, MIN, (F53).
80. Ben Chiarot, D, FLA, (D19).
81. Valeri NichushkinF54
82. Mikhail Sergachev, D, TB, (D20).
83. Claude Giroux, F, FLA, (F55).
84. Mathew Dumba D, MIN(D21)
85. Jason Robertson, F. DAL (F56).
86. Tom WilsonF, F, WSH, F57
87. Jean-Gabriel PageauF, NYI (F58).
88. Evgeny KuznetsovF, F, WSH, F59
89. Mark Giordano, D, TOR, (D22).
90. Jeff Petry, D, MOON (D23).
91. Jake Guentzel, F, F60, PIT
92. Evander Kane, F EDM (F61).
93. Adam Fox, D, NYR, (D24).
94. Jacob Trouba, D, NYR, (D25).
95. Logan Couture, F. SJ, F62
96. Sam Bennett, F, FLA, (F63).
97. Andrew CoppF64, FNYR
98. Spencer KnightG, GFLA (G9)
99. Ivan Provorov, D. PHI (D26).
100. Nico Hischier, F, NJ, (F65).
101. Anthony Duclair, F FLA (F66).
102. Anton Lundell, F. FLA (F67).
103. Mika ZibanejadF68, FNYR
104. Nick SuzukiF, F, MON, (F69).
105. Sergei BobrovskyG, G, FLA, (G10)
106. Adam Larsson, D, SEA, (D27).
107. Cody Ceci, D, EDM, (D28).
108. Jack EichelF70, F, VGS
109. Joshua Morrissey, D, WPG (D29)
110. Blake WheelerF71, F, WPG
111. Joel Eriksson Ek, F MIN (F72).
112. Jake DeBrusk, F, BOS (F73)
113. Nick Schmaltz, F., ARI (F74).
114. Calvin de Haan, D, CHI (D30).
115. Ryan Johansen, F NSH (F75).
116. Colton Parayko, D. STL (D31).
117. Travis Sanheim, D, PHI, D32
118. Quinn Hughes, D, VAN, (D33).
119. Drake Batherson, F. OTT (F76).
120. Mario Ferraro, D. SJ (D34).
121. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, F, EDM, (F77).
122. Jared McCannF78, F, FSEA
123. Erik Haula, F, BOS (F79)
124. Nazem KadriF80, F, COL
125. Brayden McNabb, D (D35),
126. Jesper Bratt, F, NJ, (F81).
127. Kris Letang, D, PIT, (D36).
128. Anthony Cirelli, F, Tb (F82).
129. Michael BuntingF83, F82, F83
130. Nick Bonino, F. SJ (F84).
131. Adam Pelech, D, NYI, D37
132. Anders LeeF, F, NYI, F85
133. Jakub Vrana, F, DET (F86)
134. Zach PariseF, NYI (F87).
135. Pierre-Luc DuboisF88, F. WPG
136. Jake McCabe, D. CHI (D38).
137. Vladislav Gavrikov, D. CLS (D39).
138. Antti RaantaG, CAR (G11),
139. Noah Hanifin, D, CGY, D40
140. Dmitry Orlov, D. WSH (D41).
141. Marc-Andre FleuryG, G-MIN (G12),
142. Jordan Kyrou, F. STL (F89).
143. Taylor Hall, F, BOS (F90)
144. Andrei VasilevskiyG13, G13
145. Jake Muzzin, D, TOR, (D42).
146. Jacob Middleton, D, MIN, (D43).
147. Vince Dunn, D., SEA (D44).
148. Evgeni Malkin, F, F91 (PIT)
149. Troy Terry, F ANA (F92).
150. Mattias Ekholm, D, NSH, (D45).
151. Esa Lindell, D, DAL, (D46).
152. Alex KillornF93, F, TB
153. Jonathan Marchessault, F VGS (F94).
154. Ivan Barbashev, F. STL (F95).
155. David Savard, D, MOON (D47).
156. Mason Marchment, F FLA (F96).
157. Jamie Benn, F, DAL(F97)
158. Andre BurakovskyF98, F, F, COL
159. Rasmus Andersson, D, C, CGY (D48).
160. Tanner Jeannot, F, NSH, (F99).
161. Damon Severson, D, NJ, (D49).
162. Sean Kuraly, F, CLS, (F100).
163. Anthony ManthaF, F, WSH, F101
164. Alex Pietrangelo, D, VGS, (D50).
165. Tyler Seguin, F, DAL, (F102).
166. Jonas Brodin, D, MIN, (D51).
167. Adrian Kempe, F. LA (F103).
168. Sean Durzi, D, LA, (D52).
169. Mathew BarzalF104
170. Ryan McDonagh, D. TB (D53).
171. Mark StoneF105, F, FGS
172. Andrei Svechnikov, F CAR (F106).
173. Tyler Toffoli, F. CGY (F107).
174. Shayne Gostisbehere, D. ARI (D54).
175. Dougie Hamilton, D, NJ (D55).
176. Alex Chiasson, F VAN (F108).
177. Tyson Barrie, D, EDM, (D56).
178. Dylan Strome, F. CHI (F109).
179. Dmitry Kulikov, D, MIN, (D57).
180. Paul Stastny, F, WPG, (F110).
181. Jake OettingerG, G. DAL (G14).
182. Cam TalbotG, G-MIN (G15).
183. T.J. OshieF, F, WSH, F111
184. Alexander Romanov, D, MOON (D58).
185. Kyle PalmieriF112 (F112)
186. Rasmus Ristolainen, D. PHI (D59).
187. Devon Toews, D, CO (D60).
188. Frank Vatrano, F. NYR, (F113)
189. Travis Hamonic, D, OTT, (D61).
190. Shea Theodore, D. VGS (D62).
191. Andrew Peeke, D. CLS (D63).
192. Nick Paul F, TB, (F114).
193. Phillip Danault, F, LA, (F115).
194. Adam Henrique, F, ANA, (F116).
195. Evan Bouchard, D, EDM, (D64).
196. Alec Martinez, D, VGS, (D65).
197. John Klingberg, DAL (D66).
198. Luke Schenn, D, TB, (D67).
199. Ryan O'Reilly, F. STL (F117).
200. Zach Hyman, F, EDM, (F118).
201. Neal Pionk, D. WPG (D68).
202. Carson Soucy, D. SEA (D69).
203. Yanni Gourde, F. SEA (F119).
204. Nicolas Aube-Kubel, F. COL (F120).
205. Dante Fabbro, D, NSH, (D70).
206. Mark Scheifele, F, WPG, (F121).
207. Haydn Fleury, D., SEA (D71).
208. Lucas Raymond, F, DET (F122)
209. Trevor ZegrasF, F, ANA (F123).
210. Kevin Shattenkirk, D, ANA, D72
211. Conor Garland, F VAN (F124).
212. Erik CernakD73, D, TB
213. Anton Forsberg, G. OTT (G16).
214. Alexander Wennberg, F, SEA (F125)
215. Kevin Hayes, F. PHI (F126).
216. Anze Kopitar, F. LA (F127).
217. William Borgen, D, SEA (D74)
218. Yegor Sharangovich, F NJ (F128)
219. Dysin Mayo, D, AR (D75).
220. Max Pacioretty, F VGS (F129).
221. Cole CaufieldF130, F130
222. Andrew Mangiapane, F, C, CGY (F131).
223. Ilya Mikheyev, F, TOR, (F132).
224. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, VAN, (D76).
225. Justin Holl, D. TOR (D77).
226. Zach Werenski, D. CLS (D78).
227. Alexander Kerfoot, F. TOR (F133).
228. Brandon Carlo, D, BOS (D79)
229. Charlie Coyle, F, BOS (F134)
230. Craig Smith, F, BOS (F135)
231. Bryan Rust, F, PIT, (F136).
232. Conor ShearyF, F, WSH, F137
233. Joel Edmundson, D. MON (D80).
234. Cam Fowler, D. ANA (D81).
235. Brandon Montour, D, FLA, (D82).
236. Joel Farabee, F. PHI (F138).
237. Patrik Laine, F, CLS, (F139).
238. Carter Verhaeghe, F. FLA (F140).
239. Tage Thompson, F, BOUF (F141).
240. Alex Goligoski, D. MIN (D83).
241. Trevor van Riemsdyk, D. WSH (D84).
242. Viktor Arvidsson, F. LA (F142).
243. Tyler Bertuzzi, F, DET (F143)
244. Alexander Edler, D, LA, (D85).
245. Garnet HathawayF, F, WSH, F144
246. Justin Schultz, D, WSH, (D86).
247. Christopher Tanev, D. CGY (D87).
248. Mikael Granlund, F, NSH, (F145).
249. Gustav Nyquist, F, CLS, (F146).
250. Brandon Saad, F, STL, (F147).